Push button switch construction



May 31 1932 c. MILLER 1,861,400

PUSH BUTTON SWITCH CONSTRUCTION Filed June 17, 1930 ATTORNEY PatentedMay 31, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHRISTIAN MILLER, OF NEW YORK,N. Y., ASSIGNOR T EDWARDS AND COMPANY, INC., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

PUSH BUTTON SWITCH CONSTRUCTION Application led June 17, 1930. SerialNo. 461,679.`

This invention relates to push button switch construction.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a simple, practicaland durable push button switch construction that will be of dependableaction and capable of long-continued use in practice. Another object isto provide a push button switch construction that will be easy andinexpensive to manufacture and capable of rapid assembly. Another objectis to provide a push button switch adapted for the control of aplurality of circuits either by making the same upon actuation of thepush button, or by breaking the circuits, or by breaking certaincircuits and making certain others. Another object is to provide a pushbutton`switch of the above-mentioned character having certain of itsparts so constructed as will permit of ready and convenient replacementor interchange thereof to meet the varying conditions met with inpractice. Another object is to provide a push button switch constructionof' the above-mentioned character in 2.5 which dependablecircuit-controlling action may be achieved even though a. relativelylarge number of circuits are controlled or affected bv a singleactuation thereof. An-

other object is to provide a construction ofthe above-mentionedcharacter that will be well adapted to meet the widely varyingconditions of hard practical use. Other objects will be in part obviousor in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts as will beexemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described and the scopeof the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of various possibleembodiments of my invention,

Figure 1 is a vertical, central, sectional view of an assembled pushbutton switch:

Figure 2 is a view, as seen from the bottom of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view, as 50 seen along the line 3-3of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view, as seen along the line 4 4 ofFigure 1, and

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrative of one of variousconditions of practical use that my invention meets.

Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawing, there is shown at 10 a sheetmetal cupshaped member, preferably of a cylindrical shape, as is clearfrom Figure 3, so as to fit readily within a round bore hole in a panel,frame, or the like, and lianged as at 11, the latter being adapted torest against the surface of the panel carrying the push button switch. Apush button 12 made of any suitable non-conducting material, such asfiber, bakelite, or the like, is slidably fitted into the upper end ofthe shell 10 and has suitably secured thereto a downwardly extending rodor plunger 13, the latter being conveniently threaded into the pushbutton 12.

The plunger 13 extends .downwardly through a suitable opening in thebottom 14 of the shell 10 and is guided in a suitable axially extendinghole in a substantially cylindrical plug-like base member 15 made of asuitable moldable insulating material, such as bakelite, hard rubber, orthe like. At its lower end the plunger 13 has secured thereto or hasintegrally formed therewith a contact bridging member 16 in the shapesubstantially of an inverted truncated cone, as is clearly shown inFigures 1 and 2. The member 16 is preferably made of a material likebrass or phosphor bronze.

Molded into the upper end of the member 15 is a metallic plate-likeinsert 17 shaped substantially as is shown in Figure 3; this member 17is threaded to receive the securing screws 18 and 19 (Figs. 1 and 3)which secure the member 15 against the under side of the bottom 14 ofthe shell 10, a plate-like member 2|() having a suitable number ofupwardly bent spring arms 21 being interposed between the shell 10 andthe base member 15 and securely held in position by the screws 18 and19. The spring arms 21 act to hold the push button switch constructionin the recess or round hole'into which the construction is inserted.

As above noted, the member 15 is of a substantiall cylindrical shape andthe length of the p unger 13 is so proportioned with respect to theremaining parts that the coiled spring 22, which is interposed betweenthe push button 12 and the bottom 14 of the shell 10, normally holds'thepush button 12 substantially flush with the upper end of the shell 10when the contact member .16, which acts substantiall as a stop, abutsagainst the lower or free en of the member.

The member l5 is providedfwith any suitable number vof recesses initsouter surface and along its lower edge and illustratively I have shownthese recesses, as four in number, namely, at 23, 24, 25 and'26 (Figs. 4and 2). Viewed from the side, these recesses are of a generallyrectangular shape andadjacent the lower or end face of the insulatingbase 15 these recesses are open. Preferably the metallic member 27, themembers 27 being molded into the material of the base plu 15 or securedthereto by pins or the -like not shown).

Each recess is adapted to snugly receive therein a terminal memberpreferably of the general shape and confi ration as is indicated inFigure 1 at 28.- he terminal member 28 is made of a suitable sheetmetal, such as brass, and has a shank portion 28IlL that fits into therecess 24 in which it is held by a screw 29 that passes through theshank 28" and is threaded into the metal insert 27. The member 28extends downwardly beyond the end face of the insulating member 15,whence it is bent inwardly toward the axis of the latter and thenceextends downwardly as at 28, the latter portion being provided withspaced lugs 28 and 28 between whichthere is threaded lnto the portion28b a binding screw 30 for makin an electrical connection of a conductorto t e terminal member 28, the lugs 28 and 28 coacting with the head ofthe screw 30 to hold the portions of the conductor that are wrap edaround the screw in desired position. ociated with the vrecesses 25, 26and 23 (Fig. 4) are similar terminal members 31, 32 and 33, eachprovided with a binding screw 30 andeach secured in its respectivevrecess by a screw 29 threaded into a metallic insert 27. f

For ooaction with the contact bridging member 16 (Fig. 1) I provide asuitable number of contact members of two different types, either ofwhich may be utilized alone or both may be used to coact with thebridging member 16., One of these contact members is indicated inFigures 1 and 2 at 34, and it is preferably made of a sheet springmetal, such as phosphor bronze, and is shaped to provide a shank portion34 fitted preferably snugly in the same recess that the shank portion28B of the terminal member 28 fits into and, as is clear from Figures 1and 4, this shank portion 34 is interposed between the insulaty1,se1,4oo

ing plug 15 and the terminal member 28, being provided with'a suitableopening through which'the screw 29 passes so that the latter maysecurely clamp the contact member 34 in position with the termina-lmember 28. The contact member c34 has a downwardly and inwardlyl bentportion 34" (Figs. 1 and 2) which extends underneath but s aced from thecontact bridging member 16 w en the latter is in its uppermost osition,as in Figure 1, so that depression o the button 12 moves the bridgingmember 16 downwardly into a wiping electrical contact with the yieldable\portion 34b of the contact member 34, a washer 35 made of any suitablematerial, preferably an insulating material, being interposed betweenthe push button 12- and the bottom 14 of the shell 10 to limit thedownward movement of the button 12 and hence of the contact bridgingmember 16. I-

The other type of contact member is indicated at 36 an is made of asuitable spring sheet metal, such as phosphor bronze, is provided with ashank portion 36l that is shaped to be snugly received in the recess ofuthe terminal member with' which the contact member 36 is to beassociated, and is rovided with an opening through which t e screw 29may pass. lThe contact member 36 will be seen to be interposed betweenthe member 15 and the termlnal member 28, and the screw 29 dependablyclamps these parts, as well as the contact member 34, in position.

The contact member 36 extends downwardly out of the recess, whence it isbent laterally so as to overlap the lower end face of the insulatingmember 15; preferably it is shaped to provide two spaced prongs 36b and36 (Fig. 2), each being ieldable and each tendingto spring in a ownwarddirection, as viewed in Figure 1, and hence away from the end face ofthe member 15. These prongs or contact-making portions 36b or 36 are ofa sufficient extent to be contacted by the bridging member 16 when thelatter is held, by the sprin 22 (Fig. 1) in its uppermost position, asis s own in Figure 1, the yielding or spring action 'of the prongportions 36b and 36 having a resistance to yielding that may be readilyovercome by the tension of the spring 22 so that when the latter movesthe parts upwardly, the prong portions 36b and/or 36 are forced to yieldand achieve a rubbing interengagement with the upper face of thebridging member 16. The recesses, such as recess 24, for example, act toprevent rotation of that terminal member and contact member or membersthat ar`e seated therein, about the axis of screw 29, and thus thesevarious parts are dependably held in grouped relation about the contactbridging member 16.

The contact members 34-and 36 are interchangeable and either or both maybe associated with as many recesses, and hence terminal members, as maybe desired, the securing screw 29 acting to insure good electricalconnection between any terminal member and its associated contactmember, or members. I may, to meet certain conditions met with inpractice, associate two or more contact members of the kind and shapelike the contact member 36 with, respectively, a corresponding number ofrecesses and terminal members, and in Figure 2 I have shown such aconta-ct member 36 related to the terminal member 28 and a like contactmember related to the terminal 32, so that the two contacts 36 will bebridged by the bridging member 16 and the circuit in which they areassociated will be held closed as long as the push button 12 remains inits uppermost position, but it will be broken as soon as the push buttonis depressed.

In like manner I may relate as many contact members of the type shown inFigure 1 at 34 with as many terminal members as may be desired, and inFigure 2 I have shown a contact member 34 assembled with respect to theterminal members 27, 28 and 31; thus the circuits in which the contacts34 are associated will be closed upon depression of the push button andhence of the contact bridging member 16, such depression beingaccompanied by the breaking of the circuits in which they contactmembers 36 are included. The circuits of the contacts 34 will. remainclosed and those of the' contact members 36 remain open as long as thepush but- 1 ton 12 is held depressed. Release ofthe push button 12breaks the circuits of the contacts 34 and closes the circuit orcircuits of the contacts 36.

In Figure 5 I have diagrammatically indicated the above-describedillustrative arrangement of the contacts.

Should it be necessary to meet the requirements of other circuitarrangements than those diagrammatically shown in Figure 5, I

. need merely to associate with the respective terminal members eitheror both of the contacts 34 and 36 and even with only four recesses and acorresponding number of terminal members, it will be seen that I amenabled to achieve a large number of possible combinations ofcircuit-making and breaking controls or actions.

It will thus be seen that I have provided in this invention a pushbutton switch construction in which the several objects hereinbeforenoted, as well as many thoroughly practical advantages, are successfullyachieved. It Will be seen that the construction is thoroughly practical,is rugged, and capable of dependable action, the various contact-makingparts achieving the rubbing action which insures maintaining of therespective surfaes bright and clean. Moreover, it will be seen that awide range of varying practical conditions may be easily and quicklyprovided for or met, all without detracting in any way from suchadvantages as those above' noted.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention and asmany changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is tobe understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth, or shown in theaccompanying drawing, is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

I claim:

1. In push button switch construction, in ombmation, a base member madeof insulating material and having a plurality of lateral .recessesadjacent one end, a plunger ex tending through said base and having acontact bridging member exposed at said end thereof, a spring-opposedpush button for actuatlng said plunger and adapted to urge said brldgingmember in a direct-ion toward the end face of said base, a plurality ofterminal members each seated in onel of said recesses and detachablysecured therein, anda plural- 1ty of Contact members inserted in saidrecesses and between said base and said terminal members, certain ofsaid contact members extending in line with said bridging member to becontacted by the latter upon depression of said push button and certainof said contact members extending in line to be contacted by saidbridging member upon retrograde movement thereof.

2. In push button switch construction, in comb1nation, a base membermade of insulating material and having a plurality of lateral recessesadjacent one end, a plunger extendlng through said base and having acontact bridging member exposed at said end thereof, a spring-opposedpush button for actuating said plunger and adapted to urge said brldgingmember in a direction toward the end face of said base, a plurality ofterminal members each seated in one of said recesses and detachablysecured therein, and a'plurality of contact members inserted in saidrecesses and between said base and said terminal members, certain ofsaid contact members being substantially L-shaped and having the angularportions thereof resting substantially against the end face of said baseso as to be bridged by said bridging member upon retrograde movementthereof under the action of said spring and certain other of saidContact members having yielding portions that extend underneath saidbridging member and in line to be contacted by the latter upondepression thereof by said push button.

3. In push button switch construction, in combination, a substantiallycylindrical base made of insulating material and having a plurality oflateral recesses adjacent one end thereof, each of said recesses havingassociated therewith a metallic insert molded into said base, a plungercarrying a bridging member adjacent said end face of said base andhaving a push button at its other end, a spring interposed between saidbase and said push button for moving said bridging member in a directiontoward said end Face, a plurality of terminal members, each restingwithin one of said recesses and having extensions thereof beyond saidend face, said extensions having means for detachably securing anelectrical conductor thereto, means threaded into said metallic insertsfor holding said terminal members in place, and a plurality of contactmembers each interposed between a terminal member and said base andhaving a portion for coaction with said bridging member.

4. In push button switch'construction, 1n combination, a substantiallycylindrical base made of insulating. material and having a plurality oflateral recesses adjacent one end thereof, each of said recesses havingassociated therewith a metallic insert molded into said base', a plungercarrying a bridging member adjacent said end face of said base andhaving apush button at its other end, a spring interposed between saidbase and said push button for moving said bridging member in a directiontward said end face, a plurality of terminal members, each restingwithin one of said recesses and having extensions thereof beyond saidend face, said extensions having means for detachably securing anelectrical conductor thereto, means threaded into said metallic insertsfor holding said terminal members in place, and a plurality of contactmeans for coaction with said bridging member and secured in place by thesame threaded means that holds said terminal members in position, someor all of said contact means having one portion for engagement by saidplunger upon movement thereof in a direction away from said end faceupon depression of said push button and another portion adapted to beengaged by said bridging member upon retrograde movement thereof inresponse to the action of said spring.

5. In push button switch construction, in combination, a shell havingits upper end closed by a depressible spring-opposed push button andhaving insulating means at its other end, a contact bridging memberactuated by said push button, a plurality of terminal members secured byscrews to said insulating means and each adapted to have an electricalconductor secured thereto, and contact means for each of said terminalmembers and .in electrical connection therewith and each held inposition by the screw that holds the corresponding terminal member inposition, one of said contact means .having a portion contacted by saidbridging member upon movement thereof respense to depression of saidpush button a pertion contacted by said bridging member upon retrogrademovement thereof.

6. In push button switch construction, in combination, a shell havingits upper end closed by a depressible spring-opposed push button andhaving insulating means at its other end, a contact bridging memberactuhaving a portion contacted by said bridging` member upon movementthereof in response to depression of said push button, certain of saidcontact means having a portion contacted by said bridging member uponretrograde movement thereof, and certain of said contact means having aportion contacted by said bridging member up'on depression thereof and aportion contacted thereby upon retrograde movementV thereof.

7. In push button switch construction, in combination, a substantiallycylindrical base made of insulating material and having a plurality oflateral recesses adjacent one end thereof, each of said recesses havingassociated therewith a metallic insert molded into said base. a plungercarrying a bridging member adjacent said end face of said base andhaving a push button at its other end, a spring interposed between saidbase and said push button for moving said bridging member in a directiontoward said end face, a plurality of terminal members, each restingwithin one of said recesses and having extensions thereof beyond saidend face, said extensions having means for detachably securing anelectrical conductor thereto, means threaded into said metallic insertsfor holding said terminal members in place, and sheet metal contactmembers extending into said recesses and clamped to said base by saidthreaded means and having portions for coaction with said bridgingmember.

8. In push button switch construction, in combination, a shell havingits upper end closed by a spring-opposed depressible push button andhaving a plurality of terminal members each adapted to have anelectrical conductor secured thereto, means insulatingly supporting saidterminal members from said sheli, a ccntact bridging member actuated bysaid push button, and a plurality of interchangeable contact members,each in electrical connection with one of said terminal members and someof which are shaped to be engaged by said bridging member upon denession cf said push button and some of ch. te be engaged by saidbridging member upon release of said push button.

9. In push button switch construction, in combination, aK sheet metalshell having a push button movable thereinto, a base member of solidinsulating material and having a plurality of metal inserts moldedthereinto, means threaded into one of said metal inserts for securingsaid base to said shell, a contact bridging member actuated by said pushbutton, a plurality of interchangeable contact members, and meansthreaded into others of said metallic inserts for securing said contactmembers into position to be engaged by said bridging member.

10. In push button switch construction, in combination, a sheet metalshell having a push button movable thereinto, a base member of solidinsulating material and having a plurality of metal inserts moldedthereinto, means threaded into one of said metal inserts for securingsaid base to said shell, a contact bridging member actuated by said pushbutton, a plurality of-sheet metal contact members some of which areshaped to be engaged by said bridging member upon movement of the latterin one direction and other of which are shaped to be engaged by saidbridging member upon movement of the latter Ain opposite direction, andmeans including terminal members together with means threaded intoothers of said metallic inserts lf)or securing said contact members tosaid ase.

11. In push button switch construction, in combination, supporting meansincluding insulating means, a depressible spring-opposed push buttonslidably guided by said supporting means, a contact bridging memberactuated by said push button, said insulating means being provided witha plurality of recesses, a plurality of apertured sheet metal contactmembers, each seated in one of said recesses and each having a portionfor coaction with said contact bridging member, said insulating meanshaving a plurality of threaded openings and each contact member beingpositioned not only in a recess but also with its aperture substantiallyregistering with a threaded opening in said insulating means, aplurality of terminal members, each having means for securing thereto anelectrical conductor and each positioned over and in engagement with oneof said contact members, and a screw for each terminal member, the screwpassing through the latter and through the aper ture in the contactmember underlying the terminal member and threaded into the threadedopening in said insulating means, thereby to clamp the Contact memberbetween aid insulating means and said terminal memer. A

12. In push button switch construction, in

combination, a sheet metal shell having its upper end closed by aspring-opposed depressible push button and having secured at its lowerend a block of insulating material, said push button having a downwardlydirected stem extending through said insulating block and a contactbridging member at the lower end of said stem, said insulating blockhaving a plurality of metallic inserts molded thereinto, said insertshaving threaded openings accessible from the sides of said insulatingblock, a plurality of contact members resting laterally against saidinsulating block, each having an extension at its lower end Jforcoaction with said contact bridging member on said stem, a plurality ofterminal members each having means for securing an electrical conductorthereto and each resting against one of said contact members at the sideof said insulating block, and a plurality of screws, each passingthrough a terminal member and threaded into the threaded opening of oneof said inserts for securing said terminal members in place and forclamping said contact members between the terminal members and theinsulating block.

18. In push button switch construction, in combination, a shell havingits upper end closed by a spring-opposed depressible push button, aninsulating block carried by said shell and having a plurality ofmetallic inserts molded thereinto, a contact bridging member actuated bysaid bush button, a plurality of contact members each having anapertured portion and a portion for coaction with said contact bridgingmember, a plurality of terminal members each having means for securingthereto an electrical conductor and each overlying a contact member, anda screw for securing each contact member with its overlying terminalmember in place, said screw passing through the apertured portion of thecontact member and being threaded into a metallic insert.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this5th day of June, 1930.

CHRISTIAN MILLER.

